Match by Match

Well folks, you’ve been incredibly patient and it’s...

Fri, 01 Mar 2013 00:00:40 -0500

Well folks, you’ve been incredibly patient and it’s finally paid off: Match by Match’s new EP Vivat Veritas is finally here! We’ve spent the better part of a year working on this bad boy, chasing the sound we had in our heads, and we could honestly not be happier with how things came out.

Once again, we went into the studio with Ann Arbor local legend producer/engineer Jim Roll (Chris Bathgate, Hoots & Hellmouth) in Backseat Productions studios. This time, we wanted to showcase a different sound from our debut American Crowbar, so we reached out to our good friend and DIY recording wiz Christopher Smith (The Ultrasounds, Timetables) to help out on getting the vibe we were going for. Finally, we made it a family affair and had the superstar mastering team of House of Boosh (Jim and Maurice Bouchard) make with the loudness. And the coup de gras was the stellar artwork designed by the stunningly talented Ryan Lynch (who we know as master key-tinkler Ryan Export of Chicago rockers Archie Powell and the Exports, who were a huge source of inspiration for us on this record).

This record took a lot out of us and we had a lot of setbacks, but every step along the way went into making it a testament not just to where we’ve been, but where we intend to go. Vivat Veritas is a hoarse rallying cry: a entreaty to dance like a maniac, to sing at the top of your lungs, to scream and to cry and laugh, and to celebrate every fleeting moment like it was your last day on earth.

Head on over to bandcamp to buy and stream the record. Or, you can c’mon down to Woodruffs on March 1st to see us play it TONIGHT with our musical brothers in arms Nathan K, The Hand in the Ocean, The Finer Things, and Dan Henig!

If you like the record, feel free to share it with your friends and social media! We have streaming links on our soundcloud and tumblr, and you can connect with us on twitter and facebook (remember to tag @matchbymatch and hashtag #VIVATVERITAS!)

We could not have made this record happen without the love and support of you guys and our family and friends. Special thanks goes out to: Archie Powell and the Exports (for being so damn amazing, inspiring, and for letting us crash on their couch), Patrick Conway (for guitar guidance and gear donation), Nathan K, Willa Rae, Matt Roney, Em Eppley, and Adam Bient.

Stay safe, stay good, and keep on living like it’s your dying day,

Melissa & Gray

A little taste of the record Vivat Veritas, debuting this...

Sat, 23 Feb 2013 13:50:28 -0500

A little taste of the record Vivat Veritas, debuting this Friday.

“Call to Arms” Engineered and Recorded by Jim Roll in Backseat Production Studios, with additional production assistance by Christopher Smith.

Mixed by Christopher Smith. Mastered by House of Boosh (Jim and Maurice Bouchard).

Produced by MxM
credits
released 01 March 2012
Gray Bouchard – vocals, guitar
Melissa Coppola – vocals, keykit

Backing vocals by Jim Roll, Adam Bient, Matthew Roney, and Emily Eppley.

Coming this Friday March 1st to Woodruffs in...

Sat, 23 Feb 2013 13:15:14 -0500

Coming this Friday March 1st to Woodruffs in Ypsi…

It’s our EP release show! We’re delighted to be playing with out old friends The Hand in the Ocean (Detroit freak-folkers!) and The Finer Things (Ann Arbor power piano triumvirate). And now with 100% more Dan Henig!

We’ll be giving away FREE downloads of our new EP Vivat Veritaswith any merch purchase. Come on down and hear us play the new record and a whole slew of new tunes, as well as the MxM classics. See you there. Deetz at the facebook event page.

(Special thanks to Nathan K, who is one of our biggest inspirations and is helping us out on this one. You are our favorite dude).

For all you lovers out there, past and present, hopeful and...

Thu, 14 Feb 2013 13:19:25 -0500

For all you lovers out there, past and present, hopeful and broken hearted, MxM has a rock n’ roll valentine. A little ear candy preview of our upcoming EP Vivat Veritas, “Call To Arms.”

It sounds best snuggled up next to your sweetheart in the garage.

Recorded with Jim Roll in Backseat Productions and mixed by Christopher Gilbert, mastered by the House of Boosh (Jim and Maurice Bouchard)

Dispatches from the world at large. C’mon down and join...

Sat, 09 Feb 2013 13:17:43 -0500

Dispatches from the world at large. C’mon down and join the party at Woodruffs March 1st with Hand in the Ocean and The Finer Things.

Yeah, we know it’s cold, but rock and roll is a harsh...

Thu, 31 Jan 2013 12:41:00 -0500

Yeah, we know it’s cold, but rock and roll is a harsh yet fulfilling mistress, so we’ll be playing this year’s Motown Winter Blast on Friday February 8th. Head on over to the Fathead Stage at 6 PM to see us debut a new song and a few of our favorite covers. It’s free and we’ll all huddle together for warmth.

Man, it sure is a good week for graphics at MxM Manor. First...

Tue, 18 Dec 2012 13:00:55 -0500

Man, it sure is a good week for graphics at MxM Manor. First that ace sticker design yesterday and now this?!

On Friday, January 18th - Assuming the Mayans were wrong - us little Matchsters will be joining our pals Teenage Octopus, The Finer Things, and Bochnasty at The Blind Pig in Ann Arbor for a night of FUN! MUSIC! DRANKZ! And - for real this time! - NEW MERCH!

How can you say no? The poster has MUPPETS!

Presenting the new official MxM logo, design courtesy of Ryan...

Mon, 17 Dec 2012 23:42:00 -0500

Presenting the new official MxM logo, design courtesy of Ryan Lynch (though to us he’s always @RyanExport) at Gunslinger Design. THANK YOU 4eva.

Be the first to get your hands on these hella fine stickers at our next show with Teenage Octopus, The Finer Things, and Bochnasty at The Blind Pig in Ann Arbor.

Stay tuned and get updates by RSVP’ing to the Facebook event!

MxM's Favorite Midwestern Musicians: We Don't Just Like Us, Y'Know.

Fri, 30 Nov 2012 12:00:50 -0500

There are a lot of awful things about living in the Midwest. With winter right around the corner, all of us Michigan transplants are in a particularly dour mood about the state we call home at the moment. Sure, the weather here’s no Nashville and the seafood can’t hold a candle to Boston but we do have something other than that special water tower to call our “claim to fame” around these parts - We’ve also got an amazing music scene.

Sure, there’s us, Match by Match, a duo that’s kinda sounding like the freak love child of The Black Keys and The Civil Wars! (If you ask us! We’d link you to our new album but…. Y’know.) And there’s also miss Amber V., our behind the scenes glamor gal manager and merch babe, who’s been spending a lot more time than usual behind the computer lately demoing the scratch tracks for her Wizard of Oz inspired EP! She says it’s a pop record but someone on the internet compared it to a choir of creepy kids singing Aphex Twins in a field so listen at your own risk.

The cacophony of the musical Midwest keeps on keepin’ on once we skeedaddle past Match by Match Manor’s doors. Here’s a list of our top five fave Michigan acts (plus one bonus Chicago choogler) that always keep us movin’ and groovin’ ‘round these parts. It isn’t often that we leave the house to brave the arctic tundra but a show from any of these guys or dolls can usually do it -

Lightning Love

&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href=”http://lightninglove.bandcamp.com/track/when-you-sleep” data-mce-href=”http://lightninglove.bandcamp.com/track/when-you-sleep”&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;When You Sleep by Lightning Love&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;

Despite their age and despite the fact that one-third of the Ypsi trio lives in the D these days, Lighting Love still manages to be the strangest teens of all. There is something very adolescent about Lightning Love’s music, and yet simultaneously, something deeply sad and upsetting. Their music is the sound of a girl (Leah Deihl) grappling with adulthood, while wholly unequipped emotionally to process mature relationships. It’s something sweetly-damaged, yet not bitter, like pop music that’s fallen down the stairs drunk. Their new record, (the utterly superb) Blonde Album, is pure power-pop joy which, combined with the lack of sneering irony, keeps them in rotation constantly at MxM Manor.

Nathan K

Us and NK go way back. For one, he is ubiquitous. For months after our arrival in Michigan, it felt like we were seeing new posters for Nathan K shows every few days. The man plays shows with a borderline compulsive zeal but never more than him, a guitar, and an endlessly complicated stack of loop pedals piled in front of him. There’s a certain confidence and unshakeable faith in his approach that smooths out the rough edges of his voice and musical aesthetic. It’s uncanny, watching him turn an awkward melody into something beautiful and swelling. His new record is a moody, engrossing affair and showcases the depth of his songwriting.

Matt Jones

There is only so much that we can continue to say about Matt Jones to inspire people to love him as much as we do. He is extremely tall. He plays guitar like his fingers are dancing on ecstasy. He sings like a beautiful, heavenly angel. He has an uncomfortable obsession with the Civil War. His songs are gut-wrenching, the emotional equivalent of waking up in your car after a bender and trying not to think of the terrible things you might have done the night before or why you’re covered in blood, or why the blood doesn’t seem to be your own. We’d call him a “singular talent,” except that he really belongs alongside dudes like Neil Young.

(Bonus Amber V. appearance at the end of that music video, ya’ll! And that was before she managed us! Small world!)

Stepdad

&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href=”http://stepdad.bandcamp.com/track/must-land-running” data-mce-href=”http://stepdad.bandcamp.com/track/must-land-running”&amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Must Land Running by Stepdad&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;

We’ve been smitten with these electropranksters since their Ordinare EP, but “Must Land Running” is the jam of the millennium. I doesn’t hurt they’ve added another one of our picks to their ranks (aforementioned Michi-bro Nathan K on guitar), but they seem to be having a good time mixing together the goofy, the poignant and the joyous with great, ridiculous results.

The Hand in the Ocean

Now these scrappy boys are a new favorite of ours. Despite being a drop in an unending fountain of folk-influenced music that infects the midwest, The Hand in the Ocean does it with more flair, panache, and eccentricity than most. Three guys, one banjo, one guitar, and (increasingly with each passing show) great songwriting. They’re masters of the bitter-sweet: Tearing, uncontrolled snarls give way to soft, expert harmonies. Gray says they’re the heir to the theatrical, whiskey-soaked throne of Tom Waits. Amber says they’re like the murder baby of the demented carnival of Man Man and the possessed gospel stomp of early Timber Timbre. Either way, the entire Manor approves.

BONUS NON-MITTEN CHOOGLER!

Archie Powell and the Exports

(Oh, c’mon, you saw this one coming.)

Archie and the boys are HANDS DOWN one of the tightest, most well-oiled rock machines there is. Besides having unbelievably well-written tracks, unexpected philosophical lyrics, and a frontman who seems to be the reincarnation of This Year’s Model-era Elvis Costello (yes, we know Elvis Costello isn’t dead but it’s one of them “metaphors”), the band consistently delivers a raucous, tuneful live show every time that make their flaw-free album sound like it was recorded in-person. No joke! Sometimes, it actually is just nerdy what huge fans of AP&E we are here. Great Ideas In Action hasn’t left the turntable since we bought the vinyl when the band came to visit last month. We are all just pilgrims under the wheels of this power-pop juggernaut.

motmevents: MOTM4 alum Match by Match + MOTM5 artist The Hand...

Thu, 29 Nov 2012 23:12:59 -0500

motmevents:

MOTM4 alum Match by Match + MOTM5 artist The Hand in the Ocean

Oh hey! That’s us!

And didja know that The Ferdy Mayne and Teenage Octopus are playing now too?!

FINALLY! Match by Match is packing up their ELECTRIC INSTRUMENTS...

Wed, 28 Nov 2012 23:51:24 -0500

FINALLY! Match by Match is packing up their ELECTRIC INSTRUMENTS and coming to YOU, Detroit Rock City!

Joining us will be our number one band boos The Hand In The Ocean! Have you heard of them? I hope so, Detroit! They’re from your ow

n backyard!

And your favorite Ypsi-by-way-of-Nashville-by-way-of-Detroit baby boys THE FERDY MAYNE! You know ‘em! You love ‘em! GET PUMPED TO SEE ‘EM!

And last but not least, joining the bill will be Teenage Octopus!

Tickets? A MERE $5! That’s just over a dollar per band! WORTH ITTTTTTT.

Time? 9 pm!

And like the temporary posterpiece (that’s half masterpiece, half poster, for those not “in the know”) says - It’s SO easy to be popular at PJ’s! Why not come?

Sure it’s a Thursday but they don’t call ‘em Thirsty Thursdays for nothin’. So RSVP to the facebook event, why don’tcha? See you there!

♥

MxM

<a href=”http://matchbymatch.bandcamp.com/album/match-by-match”...

Tue, 27 Nov 2012 20:08:10 -0500

<a href=”http://matchbymatch.bandcamp.com/album/match-by-match” data-mce-href=”http://matchbymatch.bandcamp.com/album/match-by-match”>Match by Match by Match by Match</a>

Well, guys, we can’t give you new music yet but we can repackage the only two songs that we still play off American Crowbar, even though they don’t sound like this anymore!

New sounds coming soon! We mean it this time.

Nicole Blaire sure made us look good. Check out our facebook for...

Mon, 26 Nov 2012 10:00:26 -0500

Nicole Blaire sure made us look good. Check out our facebook for the rest of the choice shots! And, oh, while you’re on facebook, that would be a great time to like us if you haven’t yet!

And don’t fear - Your favorite four legged band member does make an appearance! No, not tour manager Amber! We’re talking about Match by Match-scot pup Oscar!

Old Man Winter Can't Stop The Rock!

Fri, 23 Nov 2012 21:17:40 -0500

December might still be a week or so away but it ain’t to early to get pumped for some pre-yuletide festivities - No word on the presence of nog but we’ll keep you posted!

On December 13th, MxM is gonna be hitting one of our favorite Michigan venues - And one that we’ve never played at that! - PJ’s Lager House! And to top it off, we’re playing it with one of our fave acts, The Hand In The Ocean!

&amp;amp;amp;lt;a href=”http://thehandintheocean.bandcamp.com/track/road-to-i-am” data-mce-href=”http://thehandintheocean.bandcamp.com/track/road-to-i-am”&amp;amp;amp;gt;Road To I Am by The Hand in the Ocean&amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;gt;

One - or maybe even TWO! - more acts are going to be added to the bill so keep an eye out for that because this bill it already killer and it can only go uphill from here!

This is a show that we here at MxM Manor are particular pumped for, folks. Not only does it feel like ages since we’ve left the A2 area but it’s our first time playing as a rock duo in the dirty D, our first time at PJ’s, but this is going to be the start of a three date mini-tour for us that’s gonna find us honing our new songs like nobody’s business!

Tix for PJ’s will run ya’ a mere $5 at the door - And don’t forget to RSVP to the facebook event to let us know to expect you!

The next day, we’re TBA-ing it before heading back to Ypsilanti for Dragon Wagon’s Wagon Wreck Music Festival at Ann Arbor’s LIVE for what is turning out to be fiddle seductress extraordinaire Diana Ladio’s last show with the bluegrass six piece. You can still pre-order your tickets for another two days on Dragon Wagon’s Kickstarter here!

Best of all? Looks like we just might have some new swag in time for these December shows of ours including the coolest stickers of all time and maybe - Just maybe! - even that cd single if we’re lucky!

Sounds like the makings of an exciting three day stint on the great highways of Michigan if you ask me!

Winter ain’t never looked so good.

Meet Oscar, Match by Match’s longhair dachshund mascot,...

Mon, 19 Nov 2012 00:26:00 -0500

Meet Oscar, Match by Match’s longhair dachshund mascot, also known as GRUBBIES. He’s been through a lot.

MxM Gets Ready To Rock Wagon Wreck!

Fri, 09 Nov 2012 11:00:32 -0500

It might appear that Team MxM is taking things nice and easy during November but - Au contraire! Gray and Melissa are practicing just as vigorously as ever, gearing up for the release of NEW MUSIC, the recording of NEW SONGS, an playing of NEW SHOWS, and a whole bunch of other junk we’ve got in the pipeline for all ya’ll little dearlings!

Within the next few weeks, we’re going to be making a number of exciting announcements - Starting today!

On December 14th and 15th, our always-enthusiastic friends in Dragon Wagon are going to set Ann Arbor ablaze with their first annual Wagon Wreck music festival and we are going to be a part of it!

Along with us and, of course, Dragon Wagon, the line up will also feature acts like Third Coast Kings, The Crane Wives, Covert, Lindsay Lou & the Flatbellies, Lawless Carver, October Babies, The Ben Daniels Band and more.

We’ve shared the stage with Dragon Wagon a number of times before, from the Taste of Tree Town Sound at the Blind Pig to Earth Tones at the Ark, and each time has been a blast. Now, you can ensure your spot at Wagon Wreck by giving to Dragon Wagon’s Kickstarter.

The band is preselling tickets to the fest and $30 gets you a two day pass to the fest, to take place 12/14-12/15 at Ann Arbor’s LIVE.

If you’re feeling generous, more dollars gets you more perks, such as music, merch, or even live performances in your very own living room. Check out the Kickstarter for more deets!

For those who missed NIGHTMARE At The Manor, here’s the...

Sat, 03 Nov 2012 00:21:00 -0400

For those who missed NIGHTMARE At The Manor, here’s the gang all dressed up. Amber as Weird Girl (with her hat as Mr. Whiskers), Melissa and Oscar as Viktor and the titular Frankenweenie himself and Gray, rocking the hump as Ivan!

Whiskey Wednesday wasn’t kind to Mr. Whiskers.

Thu, 01 Nov 2012 16:36:03 -0400

Whiskey Wednesday wasn’t kind to Mr. Whiskers.

ORPHANAGE just started doing some INSANE stuff with his guitar in our basement!

Wed, 31 Oct 2012 23:19:36 -0400

ORPHANAGE just started doing some INSANE stuff with his guitar in our basement!

1 Day Until... NIGHTMARE At The Manor!

Tue, 30 Oct 2012 11:00:16 -0400

The time is nigh and we here at MxM Manor have a very special Devil’s Night surprise for you - A Halloween mix!

Gray, Melissa, and Amber got together (Which wasn’t hard as they live in the same house) and brainstormed up some of their favorite bone-chilling tunes (Which also wasn’t hard as they’ve spent all of October listening to the “Murder Mix” and “The Spooky Shuffle” and Amber’s ipod). The creepiest choice cuts have now made their way to you on what we hope to be the first of many annual American Crowbar Goes American Gothic MxM Mixes!

And as a special nightcap… Do any other ‘80’s babies remember this nightmare inducing childhood gem? Not to mention the jam of a tune it’s paired with! A gem with a jam! Now ain’t that just the thing to make you want to slaughter a young goat. Or commit arson. I mean, it is Devil’s Night after all! And I was born and raised in Dee-troit Rock City!

We here at MxM Manor hope you enjoyed our mix as hope as we enjoyed making it (and repeatedly listening to it). If you want to hear the Spooky Shuffle in it’s 4 hour long unadulterated glory, we’ll be spinning it before the music begins at the Manor tomorrow night! Come by, won’t you? And don’t forget to bring your death certificate!

If you need directions or if you have any questions, comments, or if you just wanna say howdy, drop a line to mxmmanor@gmail.com! See you tomorrow night, my little monsters!

Match by Match

Well folks, you’ve been incredibly patient and it’s...

A little taste of the record Vivat Veritas, debuting this...

Coming this Friday March 1st to Woodruffs in...

For all you lovers out there, past and present, hopeful and...

Recorded with Jim Roll in Backseat Productions and mixed by Christopher Gilbert, mastered by the House of Boosh (Jim and Maurice Bouchard)

Dispatches from the world at large. C’mon down and join...

Yeah, we know it’s cold, but rock and roll is a harsh...

Man, it sure is a good week for graphics at MxM Manor. First...

Presenting the new official MxM logo, design courtesy of Ryan...

MxM's Favorite Midwestern Musicians: We Don't Just Like Us, Y'Know.

motmevents: MOTM4 alum Match by Match + MOTM5 artist The Hand...

FINALLY! Match by Match is packing up their ELECTRIC INSTRUMENTS...

&lt;a href=”http://matchbymatch.bandcamp.com/album/match-by-match”...

Nicole Blaire sure made us look good. Check out our facebook for...

Old Man Winter Can't Stop The Rock!

Meet Oscar, Match by Match’s longhair dachshund mascot,...

MxM Gets Ready To Rock Wagon Wreck!

For those who missed NIGHTMARE At The Manor, here’s the...

Whiskey Wednesday wasn’t kind to Mr. Whiskers.

ORPHANAGE just started doing some INSANE stuff with his guitar in our basement!

1 Day Until... NIGHTMARE At The Manor!

<a href=”http://matchbymatch.bandcamp.com/album/match-by-match”...